Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 09-09-2013, 03:05 PM   #1
3 Rivet Member
 
1989 29' Excella
2018 30' Classic
Cumming , Georgia
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 229
Images: 12
Fords EcoBoost Towing Capacity

I’m in need of some sound towing advice.

I don’t have a coach but I do have a 2011 Ford F-150 Echo Boost Super Crew with a Tow package. Which in includes the Brake Controller, heavy duty Transmission, (and Cooler.) My factory documentation says my configuration can tow 9800lbs.

To be safe should I not even think of say a 30f International Signature? It’s GVWR is 8800. The way I look at it I’m well under my capacity by 1000.

To confuse things my neighbor has an F-250 with a tow package and he tows a big ol Jayco Eagle 5th wheel. And I know that while his trucks tow rating can handle the unit base weight but not the Eagle’s GVWR. The eagles GVWR is at least 2000pds over his trucks towing capacity. He says he never, ever, ever puts that much cargo in his Eagle that would go over his Truck’s GVWR, (even when his tanks are full.) Yet he’s advising me that the most trailer I should be looking at is about 26f. Doesn’t think the Fords EchoBoost’s six cylinder is strong enough to control a coach near the factories GVWR ratings. He says I might be ok going to the local campground but I'd run into braking situations in the mountains and i'd be stomping on the gas peddle if just to keep it at 60 in flat ol Florida.

It seems that my truck is well suited to tow the majority of Airstream models based on their GVWR but I’m still a bit weary and would certainly appreciate some sage advice from the forum.



Sooo Confused……
davcarv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2013, 03:39 PM   #2
Moderator
 
DKB_SATX's Avatar

 
2017 26' Flying Cloud
Alamo Heights , Texas
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,500
Images: 1
Blog Entries: 7
Do you go around stirring up hornets' nests for fun?

If I were going to buy a new 30' Airstream, I'd probably get a 3/4 ton truck just to make everything easier.

I doubt that your Ecoboost would have any difficulty at all maintaining 60 on the highway, or even pulling up grades, but there's no free lunch. The economy advantages of the Ecoboost are when you're NOT towing, once you dip into the boost you'll pay at the pump.

A big diesel with an exhaust brake would make it easier to descend grades with a heavy trailer. That and your ability to travel with a half ton of firewood in the bed of the truck are the major advantages there, the Ecoboost will be a little short on cargo capacity if you like to pile lots of stuff and people into the truck while towing a trailer with a heavy tongue.

I like the fact that your neighbor is perfectly OK with exceeding his own truck's rated capacity but thinks you shouldn't do so.
__________________
— David

Zero Gravitas — 2017 Flying Cloud 26U | WBCCI# 15566

He has all of the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire. — Sir Winston Churchill
DKB_SATX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2013, 03:58 PM   #3
Rivet Master
 
andreasduess's Avatar
 
1984 34' International
Toronto , Ontario
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,499
Images: 5
Blog Entries: 1
260hp are more than enough to move your trailer with confidence. Our tow vehicle's engine develops the same hp - at 60, we cruise at 2200rpm in fifth gear.

If you do lots of mountain driving, then a diesel is wonderful to have on declines but otherwise the trailer has brakes for a reason. A well set up rig should stop marginally faster than the tow vehicle on its own.
andreasduess is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2013, 04:04 PM   #4
Rivet Master
 
RamblinManGa's Avatar
 
2016 28' Pendleton
Currently Looking...
Scottsdale , Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 840
Images: 2
Hi from AZ. . . you should search the Forums for Ecoboost or F150 for previous posts. I think you'll find several threads, containing LOTS of info, opinions, statistics, specs 'ad nauseum'. Really thought we'd worn that subject out. Good luck !, regards, Craig
__________________
WBCCI 2851,4CU
RamblinManGa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2013, 04:12 PM   #5
Rivet Master
 
richinny's Avatar
 
2011 34' Classic
Westchester Cty.NY , / Miami FL
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,122
the first hurdle on the f150 is payload. if you don't carry much, it can work for you.
__________________
Ricky
2012 F150 Super Crew 5-1/2' bed Ecoboost 4x4 3.73 elec. lock diff. Propride hitch
give life. kidney & pancreas transplant 9/9/06
Ingrid-my unofficial '"World's Oldest Streamer" 1909-2008 R.I.P.
richinny is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2013, 04:47 PM   #6
Rivet Master
 
1994 30' Excella
Mississauga , Ontario
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,239
First off your have 360 hp and 420 foot pounds of torque. More than enough power to pull it. I have 11 even 150 with ecoboost and I tow 8300 lb gvwr trailer with no problems. I would even say it is overpowered. My truck weighs over 6000lb will then md in it so I don't think it is too light. I have 3.73 reserved end and youbprobably don't. I don't think that is really a problem.
__________________
Al and Jean

TAC ON-3
BigAl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2013, 04:50 PM   #7
Rivet Master
 
1994 30' Excella
Mississauga , Ontario
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,239
Oh yeah and when I tow at 60 mph I get 12+ mph
Al
__________________
Al and Jean

TAC ON-3
BigAl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2013, 06:05 PM   #8
"Cloudsplitter"

 
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas , Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
Images: 1
Question

2013 Ford F-150 | View All Ford F-150 | Ford.com

I thought better of it...

Bob
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
ROBERT CROSS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2013, 07:28 PM   #9
3 Rivet Member
 
1989 29' Excella
2018 30' Classic
Cumming , Georgia
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 229
Images: 12
Thanks everyone this is perfect feedback.
Special call out o Big Al thanks especially.
(And me
,...unintentional troublemaker)
davcarv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2013, 08:04 PM   #10
Rivet Master
 
1988 32' Excella
Robbinsville , New Jersey
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 3,134
The most important rating is payload.

That is the limiting factor for what Airstream you can tow in most cases.
Wazbro is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2013, 06:56 AM   #11
Rivet Master
 
JFScheck's Avatar
 
2020 30' Classic
Derwood , Maryland
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,515
Images: 37
Open up your driver’s side door and look for a sticker that will announce your "MAX PAYLOAD".

Subtract from this “Max Payload” number the following (it assumes a full tank of fuel and one 150 pound driver).
1. Your weight minus 150 pounds (I’m assuming with clothes you weigh more than 150lbs).
2. Your passengers weight (don't forget clothes).
3. Any aftermarket items (bed liner, cap, bumpers, carpet kits, etc.).
4. Subtract your luggage, cargo, etc.
4. This is your remaining payload capacity left over to support towing your trailer - subtract the tongue weight of the trailer you wish to purchase from this number, if you are negative then you have too much trailer.
5. Weight distribution will remove a few pounds of this weight from your vehicles axels but first add the weight of the new hitch, weight distribution bars, etc. as this adds to your tongue weight before a 100 -150 pounds is moved back to the trailers axels. Again, weight distribution hitches do not move a full 1/3 of the tongue weight back to the trailers axels, we have proven this on the forum via CAT scales by many members and this can be verified by both Hensley and ProPride folks.

Now remember, the tongue weight listed by Airstream is of an empty trailer, so the only real way to find out how much tongue weight your trailer has is to load up and hit the scales, but I think with the Truck you listed you will quickly find out you are limited to a 23 or 25 foot Airstream MAX.

Quick story - traded in fully loaded 2011 F-350 King Ranch for 2013 F-150 EcoBoost King Ranch as I was downsizing trailers from a 30 to a 27. After discovering the max payload of the F-150 EcoBoost inside the door jamb (the dealer told me no problem, I can tow over 9,000 lbs but never mentioned vehicle payload capacity) I had to return the truck back to Ford after less than one week of ownership, of course my F-350 was already sold and they would only give me the “trade-in” value of the truck so I purchased a 2013 Ram Cummins 2500.
__________________
John "JFScheck" Scheck
2020 30’ Airstream Classic
**I Love U.S.A.**
JFScheck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2013, 06:58 AM   #12
Rivet Master
 
JFScheck's Avatar
 
2020 30' Classic
Derwood , Maryland
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,515
Images: 37
BTW - your Ford F-150 EcoBoost owners manual has a great narrative on max payload and how this number is affected, although they use "golfers" as the payload and don't even hook up a trailer....
__________________
John "JFScheck" Scheck
2020 30’ Airstream Classic
**I Love U.S.A.**
JFScheck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2013, 09:35 AM   #13
3 Rivet Member
 
1989 29' Excella
2018 30' Classic
Cumming , Georgia
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 229
Images: 12
Payload Capacity seems to me to be a different thing than towing capacity. I would think that towing capacity is the capacity of a vehicle to tow something while payload capacity relates to the payload weight applied to a tow vehicle. Isn't tow capacity the ability of weight a tow vehilce can tow and payloade capacity is the weight that a tow vehicle can have applied to the axels. IE, wieght of the occupents, carpet, Liner, Gas, Hitch weight. I gues what i'm asking is even if they are related paylode and tow capacity are two different things.
Also, regarding taking trailor prospective trailer to a wiegh station isn't really feasable. In that most sellers, regardless of if they are private owners or dealers arent' going to let you simply, 'test drive', the trailer to a wiegh station to find out if your truck can handle it.
davcarv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2013, 09:51 AM   #14
Rivet Master
 
andreasduess's Avatar
 
1984 34' International
Toronto , Ontario
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,499
Images: 5
Blog Entries: 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by davcarv View Post
Payload Capacity seems to me to be a different thing than towing capacity.
Very much so.
andreasduess is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2013, 10:30 AM   #15
Moderator
 
DKB_SATX's Avatar

 
2017 26' Flying Cloud
Alamo Heights , Texas
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,500
Images: 1
Blog Entries: 7
davcarv: Payload and towing capacity are not the same thing, but they need to be viewed as a part of the same evaluation. Let me start by saying I use a "half-ton" truck and intend to do so as long as I have a trailer that's within its capabilities. I'm not trying to say that the only way to tow any Airstream is with a 1-ton turbodiesel.

An important thing you didn't list in the components of payload is the tongue weight that's applied to the hitch by a trailer, and that's where the 2 capacity measures interact directly.

Another way they interact, though not quite so visibly, is in Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). If you look at all the numbers, you'll see that for lots of trucks, you can't tow the max trailer weight if the tow vehicle is at its max gross weight (i.e. if it's loaded to its max cargo capacity.)
__________________
— David

Zero Gravitas — 2017 Flying Cloud 26U | WBCCI# 15566

He has all of the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire. — Sir Winston Churchill
DKB_SATX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2013, 11:21 AM   #16
2 Rivet Member
 
7GenTex's Avatar
 
Briarcliff , Texas
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 85
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wazbro View Post
The most important rating is payload.

That is the limiting factor for what Airstream you can tow in most cases.
+1

With a "1/2 ton", you will usually exceed the truck's payload limitation, due to actual hitch weights occupants and other cargo, well before reaching theoretical published "tow limits".

Exceed the truck's payload limitation, regardless of the trailer weight, and you are now a test pilot!

And, I have a F150 SuperCrew EcoBoost 3.55 locker- #1,620 payload rating
__________________
1966 T-27 Avion (Sold & missed)

2022 Escape 19
7GenTex is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2013, 12:55 PM   #17
Rivet Master
 
andreasduess's Avatar
 
1984 34' International
Toronto , Ontario
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,499
Images: 5
Blog Entries: 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by DKB_SATX View Post
davcarv: Payload and towing capacity are not the same thing, but they need to be viewed as a part of the same evaluation.
I respectfully disagree. Payload is a meaningful number, based on sound engineering principles.

Tow capacity, in my opinion, tends to be a number made up by a combination of the legal and the marketing department.
andreasduess is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2013, 01:32 PM   #18
Rivet Master
 
1988 32' Excella
Robbinsville , New Jersey
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 3,134
Quote:
Originally Posted by davcarv View Post
Payload Capacity seems to me to be a different thing than towing capacity. I would think that towing capacity is the capacity of a vehicle to tow something while payload capacity relates to the payload weight applied to a tow vehicle. Isn't tow capacity the ability of weight a tow vehilce can tow and payloade capacity is the weight that a tow vehicle can have applied to the axels. IE, wieght of the occupents, carpet, Liner, Gas, Hitch weight. I gues what i'm asking is even if they are related paylode and tow capacity are two different things.
Also, regarding taking trailor prospective trailer to a wiegh station isn't really feasable. In that most sellers, regardless of if they are private owners or dealers arent' going to let you simply, 'test drive', the trailer to a wiegh station to find out if your truck can handle it.
True payload and tow capacity are very different things.

The problem here in North America is that with the 10-15% normal tongue weight required for the trailer to be stable most of the time you run out of payload before tow capacity.

Some of the F150s are rated to tow over 11,000lbs some with less then a 1600lb payload, with 15% tongue weight that is 1650lbs, even with a weight distributing hitch shifting some of the tongue weight to the trailer it leaves very little payload for passengers and cargo.

Now in Europe it wouldn't be a problem since the laws of physics are diferent there and they only need 5-7% tongue weight for the trailers to be stable, so an 11,000lb trailer would have at most a 770lb tongue weight.
Wazbro is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2013, 02:20 PM   #19
Rivet Master
 
Moflash's Avatar
 
2007 28' International CCD
Springfield , Missouri
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,423
What does the sticker on the right side drivers door frame show as your maximum payload for your particular truck????
Moflash is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2013, 02:41 PM   #20
Moderator
 
DKB_SATX's Avatar

 
2017 26' Flying Cloud
Alamo Heights , Texas
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,500
Images: 1
Blog Entries: 7
Quote:
Originally Posted by andreasduess View Post
I respectfully disagree. Payload is a meaningful number, based on sound engineering principles.

Tow capacity, in my opinion, tends to be a number made up by a combination of the legal and the marketing department.
Well, in that larger context I must concede the point... it seems they underestimate for minivans and overestimate for trucks to encourage buyers to get trucks, etc. At least when comparing one F150 to another it gives you an idea of how they differ, if not an exact measure of capability.
__________________
— David

Zero Gravitas — 2017 Flying Cloud 26U | WBCCI# 15566

He has all of the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire. — Sir Winston Churchill
DKB_SATX is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Questions about towing a 25FB with a F-150 barrettjl Towing, Tow Vehicles & Hitches 32 03-13-2012 11:13 PM
Ford 150 EcoBoost power in Mountains RoccoJohn Tow Vehicles 31 09-20-2011 05:14 PM
Interesting read on the Eco-boost Denis4x4 Tow Vehicles 4 08-21-2011 11:58 AM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:28 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.